Process of producing crepeable yarn



Patented July 8, 1952 noonss OF rRonUoiNG eaten-m Rudolph ,Woodell, Richmond, Va., cl'u rout cle Nmours and Company,

assignor to E. I.

Wilmingms; Delga corporation of- Delaware No Drawing. Application ldoveniber 30, 1949,

This invention relates to atitilfefyarn capable of producing novelty Effects mm a th mian ufacture of whenjmadeinto fabrics. Moreparticularly,the:

invention relates to spun yarns which, when. Woven intofabrics and suitably processed, pro

duceflpuckered, pebbled orcrepedefiects.

Continuous filament yarns of. widely; difierent shrinkage characteristics. have been plied and:

indium. No. 130,364

12 Claims. -(Cl..57--157) must be a high tenacity regenerated cellulose yariifsuch as tire cord or a normal textile" yarn'oi regenerated cellulose. Such yarns are "'ll'ssiiirystalline and, therefore, shrink considerably-more after being dry stretched to 90% of Itheilbreaking elongation, for example, from about:10%' to 15%. Shrinkage is the shortening ""in'llehgth in a yarn or filament when it is subdoubled together heretofore to produce a crepe yarn, as described in U. S. Patents ,976,201'and 2,328,074. However, heretofore, no one has suc-' cessfully produced a spun yarn, l. e., a yarn q i ised' 9 r la v v o i en t fibe which exhibits anytendency to crepe or pucker' after ithas been incorporated in a woven fabric without; the use oi high (crepe) twist. Even though fibers having widely different shrinkage charaoteristics are blended and combined to form a spun'yarn by any of the methods commonly used heretofore, the resulting spun yarn shows no creping tendency. In other words, the great difference in shrinkage characteristics of fibers has ledtonoadvantage when such fibermixtures blended andworked together to forinfa s'pun 'Ihisis trueeven if the two types of fiber were originally in the form of continuous filamerit tow'landare brought together and broken or otherwisesevered to form a top or 'sli ver in the manner-described in the Perry and'Lohrke Patent No. 1,833,384 (Perlok processlyandthen subsequently blended, drawn and twisted to form r 1 ram j e'ctedto aqueous treatment in the relaxed state. "The direct conversion of a plurality of continuous filament yarns or tow into a spun yarn 'Itis; therefore, an object of this invention to provide Ra. spun yarn of regenerated cellulose fibers having creping properties. A further object of the invention is to provide a process for the production of a spun yarn of regenerated cellulose capable of becoming rippled, puckered, pebbled or creped when inborporated in a woven fabric and suitably processed. A further object of the invention is to provide a crepeable spun yarn comprised of two different fibers. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The objectives of this invention. are accomplished'by combining two difierent regenerated cellulose yarns on the direct spinner. To produce a crepeable yarn, the yarns must have certain difierent physical properties and must be used in certain ratios. One of the combining yarns must be highly oriented and highly crystalline is accomplished on the direct spinner. This comprisesa r0tatingset -of efront lrollersl a'nda rotating; set of backrollers. The. yarns. pass through the hip of the"*back 'seti'and'ithrough the ni-pof the fro'n't set, and 'from'" thereitoaa' twister bobbin. {The front rollers, areftraveling.

frorn'5 to 100 or rndre' times thespee'dof thezback rollers. In this dir'e'ct' process the "continuous A filaments are broken and -twisted "to form :a

spun yarn.

The two -or'more 'continuous filamentiyarns (or .tows') used "in the :process *of this :invention initially may have substantially the same: shrinkage characteristics but mustdifier in other-prop erties so that upon being stretchedto break on the direct spinner filaments; result having dife n rinkase a. :Tlhes 1 .szqm e n t direct spinner and twisted to a single nd'.Th

. resultant spun ya has a predominancezof fi i the actiorrof a:d rying medium while it is preferablyiree from substantial tension. Procedures which may be used are described in CrameryUv S.

' Patent No. 2,412,969; issued December 24; 194

and have a low percentage shrinkage even when" 1 dry stretched just short of the breaking point;

This low percentage of shrinkage of the-dry stretched yarn should be no more than 4%, and

preferably no more than 2.5%. The other'yarn' seq 'copending'.application of Hare and signage; Serial No. 1'04,61;3-, filed auiyi i, 1949, now ir s;

residualshrinkages pr about 0.5% to 2.0%. Fiber Z s ahlgh tenacity tire cord'yarn'suc'l'i sweardura yarn? '("Cordura is a registered trade "mark for a 'hightenacity regenerated cellulose' 3 yarn) which, in the continuous filament form, has about the same shrinkage, or perhaps a little more, say in the range from about 1% to However, when a spun yarn is made from each of these continuous filament yarns on the direct spinner, the .shrinkage of the Fiber Y spun yarn will be about the same as the continuous'filament yarn from which it was made, whereas the shrinkage of the Fiber Z will increase several fold 4 In Table II, the composite spun yarn was used in making fabric as shown. The fabric samples were heated in a water solution of 0.18% olive oil soap flakes and 0.22% sodium phosphate 5 (Na3PO4-12H2O) for one 'hour at 95 C. and thoroughly rinsed in 50 C. water, dried withou't'tensi'o'n "and ironed prior to examination. The fabrics were then to as much as 12% or even 15%. It is believed 10 rated as to extent of crepe.

TABLE II Ya'rn preparation and fabric construction Wtrpr150 :deniezydull viscose rayon, reeded 90 ends per inch and 40 inches wide r 111mg Per cent Item No. e e 1 gwlse Yam Plillis ant qent 0153:2510 Effect Count Inch F1391 Figer BoiLOfi 50/1 54 0 100 15. 0 .None. 50/1 54 75 12.5 Good. 50/1 54 33. 67. 12.5 V D0. 50/1 54 42 58 13. 1 Excellent. 50/1 54. 50 50 10. 6 Do. 50/1 54 07 33 ;8. 1 Fair. 50/1 54 75, 25, 8. 1 Do. 50/1 54 100 0 0.6 -None. Conventional S-pun Rayon Yarn 50/1 54 0 0 4. 4 Do.

Textile Yarn.

that this difierencein shrinkage in the spun-yarn I is due to certain inherent characteristics of the continuous filament yarn coupled with this specific method of conversion into the spun yarn. Peculiarly, creping cannot be obtained by mixing prepared staple of filaments of the two types and converting the mixture to yarn; nor can creping be obtained by use of the Perlok process or processes similar to it.

Shrinkage is determined by'measuring length differences upon immersing the filament in aqueous 1.35% sodium hydroxide substantially freeof tension. If a 100 centimeter length of yarnis suspended in aqueous 1.35% sodium hydroxide substantially 'free of tension to eventually attain a llength of 98 centimeters; it has "a shrinkage of 2%.

In Table Ibelow, thetwo continuous filament tows were spun simultaneously, that is, fed together. side by side, on a direct spinner-using the conditions given. The yarns or tows 'were. fed separately to the direct spinner-and the combining occurs thereafter. In this jtablefthe draft ratio is the ratio of the front roll speedto the back roll speed, the spindle speedisthe speed of thetwister bobbin-and theratch distance is the distance between the front and backrolls. 1 v

Table 1 (Direct spinnersettinys) As can be seen fromthe above results, shrinkage of the fabric generally decreased as th'e'pe'rcentage of Fiber Y, the high 'tenacity'yarn, increased. The pebbled effectfpuckerin'g or crepe efiect, increased and then decreased as the amount of Fiber Y increased. While crepe effects are produced with amounts of the Fiber Y as low as 10% and as high as thegreatest efiect occurs using from 25% to 50% of this with 75% to 50% of Fiber Z.

This invention has been illustrated using two specific yarns, Fiber Y andFiber Z, having the properties listed below in Table III. The X-ray parameters are usually measured photometrically from flat diffraction patterns with nickel-filtered copper radiation, 5 cm. specimento-fil'm distance. The orientation parameter is theratio of the equatorial topolar intensity of the 101 interference minus one. On this scale, Zero indicates no orientation and increasing numbers indicate increasing orientations. This parameter measures orientation of the hydroxyl-rich lplanes of the cellulose (101) and/or orientation of the long chain axes.

The lateral order parameters are calculated from the relation I -II III 'IV V VI VII VIII Endsof 1100 denier.Fiber'Y.- 2 3 2 l l 1 1, Ends of 1100 denier-Fiber Z; 1 1 l l- 2 ,3 2 Nominal Count.... 5011 50/1 50/1 ,50/1 50/1 50/1 50/1 50/1 Nominal Twist T. 19. 40 1 9. 40 19. 40 19.140 19. 40 I9. 40 19. 40 '19. 40 Twist Facton-.. '2. 75 2. 75 2, 75' "2. 75 2. 75 2.75 2. 75 2. 75 Draft'Ratio 21.80 '42. 50: 31.140 23.80; 21.80 31.140 42. 50 21.80 Back'RolliSrieedIIPjlVI -Q 14. 55 7. 45 10120 13.30 14. 55. 10; 20 7. 45 14. 55 Front R011 Speed I. P/M- 317 317 317 317' .317 317 317 Spindle Speed R P M 6, 6,150 6, 150 6, 150 6,150 6, 150 6, 150 -6, 150 Traveller Sizer" #16/0: #16/0 .#l'6/0 #16/0. #16/0' #16/0 #16/0 #16/0 Ratch Distance.- -12. "12. '1 12 -12. 12 12 12 1 end l500 denier textile yarn.

tag and where n. equais intensity of the: 10 interference and-1a is the minimum intensity between the 100 and IGIinter-ferences. This parameter is a measure of the relative perfection of the lateral difiracting planes of-cellulose and may be taken as-a measure of crystallinity. The higher the lateral order, the greater is the crystallinity.

. TABLE III V Fiber Z i Slasher Relaxed Dried Dried' Drylenacity g. p. d- '5. 3 *4. 2 3. 4 ,Dry Elongation per cent 6.0 6. 9 15.0 Wet'lenaclty g. p. dl. 3.7 i 2. 5 2.1 Wet Elongation per cent. 6. 8 20. 2 20. 9 Per cent Shrinkage: f k v i Relaxed Dried 0.2 2.7 .1. SlasherDried .0.6 [13.8 Dry stretched to break, er cent 2. 3 14 2 'X-ray'Parameters: 7 7

Orientation 6. 5 I 2. 5 Lateral Order 62. 7 26. 0

The invention is, however, not limited to the use of these particular yarns. Instead of Fiber Y, one may use other highly crystalline, low elongation yarns exhibiting low percentage shrinkage after dry stretching to 90% of the breaking elon- "gation. Such yarns are the high acid bath yarns produced according to Lilienfeld U. S. Reissue 18,170, and regenerated cellulose yarn made from cellulose acetate yarn by heat or solvent stretchthen saponifying the stretched yarn. Similarly, normal textile yarn may be used as Fiber Z. For instance, spun yarns can be made up of Lilienfeld andregular textile rayon by cornbining on a direct spinner as above mentioned and in the range'of amounts just previously mentioned to give similar. cockled or pebbled fabrics.

Also, similar spun yarnscan be made with .the low elongation "regenerated cellulose produced from. cellulose acetate threads again combined textile yarn.

In choosing a fiber of the type Y, the orientations may vary from 3.5 to 7.0, and the lateral orders may be from to 75. In the Fiber Z types the orientations vary from 0 to 3, and the lateral orders from 10 to 40. The greater the difference in these values in the two types, the greater is the creping effect. However, the two fibers may have close values vin one direction, say lateral order, and still be useful together in the process of this invention if they differ markedly in the other, say orientation. For a tow of type Y, it is preferred to use a yarn having an orientation of from 4.0 to 6.5 and a lateral order of from 55 to 75. For type Z, it is preferred that the orientation be from 0 to 2.5 and the lateral order from 10 to 30.

While this invention has been described in terms of regenerated cellulose yarns, the essential idea of the invention may be applied to other type yarns, such as nylon polymer yarns or other synthetic or natural polymer yarns. Such yarns may be modified to alter crystallinity, molecular orientation, etc., for instance, by heat treatment, so that two or more combining yarns attain widely different shrinking properties when extended to the breaking point as on a direct spinner. The spun yarn thus formed, or fabric containing the same, may then be shrunk by heating or by treating in a swelling medium or otherwise treated to give a similar efiect as the boil-0.1T treatment of with any relatively high elongation, regenerated cellulosethreadsrsuch as tire cord yarn'or normal A .cotton'. systems. .11,

6 fabrics containing the. .spun rayon yarns previously discussed. 1 Peculiarly, the objects of this invention can not be..attained by independently cutting l iber Y and Fiber .2 into staple length and spinning the resultant combined staple by. the, usual method on .the..cot ton system. Similarly, if a blended yarn is. madeby combiningFibersY and Z in a single yarn, theresultillg products :will hibit properties intermediatet e p QDBfllifiS 9f. $1 EW spun; yarnsl...SimiIarIy -if the-continuous nla; ment yarnsare subjected to a breaking treatment by the ,Perlok process and the slivelflpr tgp formed is further drawn, blended andtwistedinto .a Jyarn, this yarn :will also exhibit properties sub .stantially the same as thespun yarnmadeon the the novelty yarns "of this invention which are use fu l in making a crepe fabric, that is, a lightweight fabricicharacterizedby.a crinkled'surface.

to produce crepe effects: directly using low twist By the process of this invention, it is possible yarns. Heretofore, crepe effects could be produced only by using high twist yarns containing about 60 to turns per .inch or higher. Through this invention twists in' the order o'f20 turns per inch need only be-used. Considerable saving is effected by avoiding expensive, time consuming "high twist operations.

Any departure from the above description which conforms to the present invention is intended to b included within' the'scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A process for the production of a regenerated cellulose spun yarn having creping properties which comprises simultaneously spinning and combining to a single spun yarn on a direct spinner a plurality of continuous filament yarns, at least one yarn of which has high orientation and high crystallinity and low percentage shrinkage and at least one of which has low orientation and low crystallinity and higher percentage shrinkage.

2. A process for the production of a regenerated cellulose spun yarn having creping properties which comprises simultaneously spinning and combining to a single spun yarn on a direct spinner a tow comprising a yarn of high orientation and high crystallinity and low percentage shrinkage and a tow comprising a yarn of low orientation and low crystallinity and higher percentage shrinkage, said spinning and combining being conducted so that the resultant spun yarn contains from 10% to of filaments derived from the said yarn of high orientation and high crystallinity.

3. A process in accordance with claim 2 in which said resultant spun yarn contains 25% to 50% of filaments derived from the said yarn of high ozientation and hi h crystalllmty;

exegesis "'4. A process for the production "of a regenerated cellulose spun yarn having creping properties which comprises simultaneously spinning and combining on a direct spinner, a tow-comprising aia'rn of high' orientation and high crystallinity andiow percentage shrinkage and a tow compris mgaiyam of low orie'ntation and .low 'crystallinity and higher percentage shrinkage, said'tows' being stretched to break on "said spinner.

' 5. n prbces's for the-production of a regenerated cellulose spun yarn having creping properties' which comprises simultaneously spinning and combining on a direct spinner a" tow comaifarnh'aving 'an'orientati'o'n of from 3.5 to =7- and ala-teral order of from- 35 to 75 and a tow -cor'n'pr'isihg a yarn having an orientationof from to 3 and a lateral order of'from--10"to' 40,

the said tows Y having different percentages of shrinkage.

-65 A- -p'rocess for the production of "a crepe'-fab ricwhichcompri'ses simultaneously spinning and combining "o'n' a'directspinner a tow comprising a 'rgenerated cellulose'yarn of high orientation and "high -"crystallinity *and low percentage shrinkage" a'nd -a -t'o'w comprising a 'rege'nerated cellulose-yarn of low orientation andlow'crystallinityand' higher percentage-shrinkage; incorporatin'gthe resultant spun yarn in a fabric; and a shrinking the resultant fabric.

7. Aproessfor the productionof-a crepe fabric'whi'ch comprises simultaneously spinning and combining on'a directspinner a tow comprising aregenerat'ed'cell-ulose yarn of high'orientation and-high crystallinityand low percentage shrinkage -and a 'tfowof'loworientation and low crystallinity and higher percentage shrinkage, said .combin'ing of i said tows on said spinner yielding a "spun yarn that contains from -10% to -85% of filaments derived from-said yarn of high orientation and high crystallinity; incorporating the resultant spun yarn in a 1 fabric; and wetting *the resultant "fabric to allow-shrinkage-to occur.

8. A process for the production'ofaregen- *erated cellulose spun yarnhaving creping :prop- -erties 'wh'ich-c'omprises producing on a direct spinnerat' least two' -yarns of different shrinkage by str'etching-to breaka yarn ofhigh orientation =and highscrystallinity and i a yarn of low orientation-andlow crystallinity; and combining the-resultantstretched; broken filamentson the; direct-spinner to a single spun yarn.

9. -Alprocess*forthe production of a-regen erated: cellulose spun yarn having creping .properties which comprises stretching to break on a direct spinner at least two yarns differing in original properties i so that the resultant stretched, broken filaments have different shrinkage; and combining on the direct spinner the resultant stretched, broken filaments of different shrinkage to a single spun yarn.

10.'A"process"forthe-production of a regenerated cellulose spun yarn having creping:-properties which comprises producing on a'f direct spinner' a't' least two yarns of diiferentl-shrinkage by stretching to break a yarn o f high orie'ntation a'nd high crystallinity to u produce thefeby filamentshavinga percentage of shrinkage l'ess than 4% and a 'yarn of low orientationandlow 'crys't'allihity to produce thereby filam'en'tshaving a percentage of shrinkagefrom about 10% to about 15%; and combining the resultant stretched, broken filaments on'the-direct spinner toa-singlespun yarn.

l1. =A process =in-accordance with claim 10 in which the/filaments produced from said .yarn' of high-orientation and high crystallinity has'a percentage of shrinkage of no more than 2.5%.

-l2.--A .process-in accordance with claim -5 in Which thefirst tow1hasan-orientation of 4.0 to 6.5 and-a lateral order of to and the second tow-has-an-orientation of 0 to 2.5 and a lateral order'of 10 42030.

RUDOLPH WOODEIIL.

W it 72,517,946 

1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A REGENERATED CELLULOSE SPUN YARN HAVING CREPING PROPERTIES WHICH COMPRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY SPINNING AND COMBINING TO A SINGLE SPUN YARN ON A DIRECT SPINNER A PLURALITY OF CONTINUOUS FILAMENT YARNS, AT LEAST ONE YARN OF WHICH HAS HIGH ORIENTATION AND HIGH CRYSTALLINITY AND LOW PERCENTAGE SHRINKAGE AND AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH HAS LOW ORIENTATION AND LOW CRYSTALLINITY AND HIGHER PERCENTAGE SHRINKAGE. 